Why Go to Therapy?

People chose to go to therapy for all kinds of reasons. Deciding to see a therapist does not mean that a person is “crazy” nor that he or she is weak willed.

Psychotherapy is a “talking cure” that aims to help the client make sense of his/her feelings and experiences by working through the fears and concerns with the guidance of a trained clinician.

Why a Therapist and Not Just a “Life Coach”?

Coaching can be a very effective means of addressing issues that you may not be able to resolve on your own. Coaching is a geared towards normal, healthy, high-functioning individuals who are bothered by an issue or problem they would like resolved, but have not been able to resolve on their own. It might be an old or more recent issue they have with themselves or a problem they are having with someone else. I coach and guide my clients in their learning and resolving of the issue or problem.

I think that it is important to seek coaching from a trained behavioral health clinician, even though you are not seeking psychotherapy services. It is important that a coach have the knowledge base and skills to effectively address any issues that may come up in coaching.

Licensed Therapists have the skills and educational background to ASSESS individuals and determine an appropriate course of treatment. Unless they are licensed therapists who are maintaining their credentials, Life Coaches most likely do not have these skills or clinical background.

A cursory internet search will provide you with ample life coaching sites where people claim to be “Certified” and having received “training” that enables them to call themselves coaches. It is important to note that there is NO local or national licensing requirement to be credentialed or certified as a coach. The “training” conducted within the coaching industry, tends to consist of 40 hours of teleconferenced “classes”, with NO prerequisites, admission criteria, graduation requirements.

Psychotherapists, a general term commonly used to refer to Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LSCW), Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors (LCPC), psychologists (PhD or PsyD), and psychiatrists (MD or DO), are licensed to provide their services. Licensing requirements vary by state, but as an LCSW, I completed a Master’s Degree in Social Work (MSW), two years supervised clinical work, passed two licensing exams, and take 30 hours of approved continuing education every two years.